The present invention relates to a transport for transporting combine headers such as corn, bean and grain headers or tables.
It is desireable to be able to detach the headers from combines to permit safe transit of the combine on public roadways. If the header is not detached from the combine, the overall combine assembly with its header typically would be too large to permit such safe transit. Accordingly, various transports have been known in the past to support the detached combine header and permit its transport separately from the combine. Such headers are of widely varying sizes and shapes depending upon their use, e.g. corn, bean or grain headers, and the identity of their manufacturer. Thus, the prior header transports have included adjustable mechanisms to permit the transport to be adjusted to accept the various shapes and sizes of headers which may need to be transported at different times.
These adjustable transport mechanisms have taken many structural forms and shapes from the very simple to the quite complex. In their simpler structural form, adjustability is achieved by a multiplicity of brackets, bolts and holes which permit adjustment of header support rails or brackets on the chassis of the transport in both the horizontal transverse direction relative to the chassis and in vertical elevation to accommodate the various sizes and shapes of the headers. However, these simpler adjustment assemblies are usually capable of adjustment in only one direction at a time, i.e. either in the horizontal or vertical direction. Thus, although these adjustment mechanisms are structurally simple, in practice they are difficult and time consuming to adjust to fit the particular shape of the combine header to be transported due to the multiple individual and incremental adjustments which are needed in order to accommodate the transport support rails or brackets to fit the size and shape of the particular header. Moreover, because of the multiple adjustments required, adjustment becomes complex and two people are usually required to perform the necessary adjustments.
More structurally complex scissors-type assemblies have also been employed in the past for adjustment of the header support rails or brackets. However, these scissors-type assemblies also usually require the loosening, moving and tightening of a number of bolts and the performance of multiple steps in order to accomplish adjustment in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Again usually more then one person is needed to perform the complex adjustments. Moreover, the scissors-type assemblies, because of their scissoring action, can also be dangerous to the personnel making the adjustments, and these assemblies are frequently excessively high off the roadway resulting in instability during transport.
The combine header transport of the present invention is both simple in construction and use and overcomes the several disadvantages experienced in the prior art header transports. The header transport of the present invention includes an adjustment assembly in which the support for the header may be rapidly and easily simultaneously, rather than incrementally, adjusted in both the transverse horizontal direction and in vertical elevation simply by the loosening and tightening of only a few bolts. The adjustment assembly of the present invention is so simple in construction and use that adjustment may be accomplished easily by a single person and without the hazards attendant in the scissors-type assemblies. Moreover, the header support structure of the transport of the present invention has a low profile and supports the header low to the roadway thus substantially improving stability during transport.
In one principal aspect of the present invention a transport for transporting a large bulky object is provided. The transport has a chassis on wheels for rollably supporting the chassis, a pair of rails spaced longitudinally from each other and extending transversely of the chassis, and first and second support means transversely spaced from each other to support transversely spaced portions of the object when the object is placed on the chassis. The improvement in at least one of said support means comprises at least one inclined bracket having a sloped surface thereon and an elongate sloped slot extending substantially parallel to the sloped surface. The one support means also includes a support element adapted to support the object, and adjustable mounting means mounting the support element for movement along the sloped slot in a direction substantially parallel to the sloped surface to effect movement of the support element simultaneously in both elevation and transversely of the chassis to permit adjustment of the support element to support one of the spaced portions of the object.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the sloped surface remains stationary during the adjustable movement of the support element.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the adjustable mounting means comprises a slot extending parallel to the sloped surface. Plate means both overlies and underlies the slot and the plate means overlying the slot is fixed to the support elements. Coupling means extends between the plate means and through the slot to releaseably engage the plate means with the inclined bracket.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned slot is in the sloped surface.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, at least a pair of inclined brackets are spaced from each other longitudinally of the chassis.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the sloped surface slopes downwardly toward the the other of the support means.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, a rail is transversely spaced from the one support means and extends longitudinally of the chassis, and the other support means is mounted on the longitudinally extending rail.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, adjustable mounting means is provided to mount the other support means for longitudinal movement along the longitudinally extending rail and/or the longitudinally extending rail for transverse movement along the pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending rails.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, adjustable mounting means may be provided to also permit transverse movement of the inclined bracket.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the support element comprises a rail extending longitudinally of the chassis.